Cutting assistance programs makes housing even tougher to find

New data from a Puget Sound Regional Council poll reveal that people in our region regard the high cost of living as the worst part of living in our region. The increasingly high cost of housing is one thing driving the cost of living up. Stories in the Kitsap Sun tell us that the average two-bedroom apartment rent now exceeds $1,300, and the median price of homes sold in Kitsap is up 12.5 percent from a year ago, to $335,000. Despite reports of low employment, it is hard to find either a place to rent or a house to buy, not to mention put food for the table.

Early next week the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (H.R. 2) i.e., the Farm Bill, will be voted on in the House of Representatives. This bill will make it harder for low-income households, employed or not employed. The proposed bill introduces destructive policy changes that cut food assistance to nearly every type of SNAP participant, including children and their parents, people with disabilities, older workers, and people who are working — or between jobs.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is our country’s first line of defense against hunger. Two million people will lose all or part of their benefits over the next ten years if this bill passes. Call Rep. Derek Kilmer and urge him to vote no on this bill. (202-225-5916).